When you eat a salad you're probably thinking that you're eating healthy, but could the dressing be ruining it for you!
If it's a mainstream store-bought brand the answer is mostly likely YES!
Store-bought dressings are high in sugar, saturated fat and sodium! Most of them including a lengthy list of additives and preservatives as well.
This is why it's so important to read the ingredients on the bottle before you buy.
And if you do eat plant-based, it's also important because dressings are known to have eggs and milk powders.
Healthy Store-Bought Options
Thankfully, there are some brands making dressings that are better for us! Some of the ones I like are:
- Fody's Vegan Caesar
- Braggs Organic Vinaigrette
- Whole Foods Organic Herbes de Provence Vinaigrette
- Primal Kitchen Vegan Ranch
But salad dressing is best when you make it at home and it's actually very simple to do, especially vinaigrettes which is usually just a combination of oil and vinegar.
I suggest using extra virgin olive and for vinegars; balsamic, white or red wine are most commonly used. Add in herbs and spices and you've got a vinaigrette dressing.
If you're trying to stay dairy-free but like a creamy dressing then try a cashew based dressing.
This Creamy Balsamic Dijon Dressing is one of my favorites and made with just a few ingredients.
Creamy Balsamic Dijon Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 2/3 cup Raw Cashews (soaked)
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Garlic Clove
- ¼-½ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Soak cashews in a bowl of water for at least 2 hours before blending. Once they're soaked, drain them. Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You can taste the dressing to see if you want to adjust any of the seasonings. Stores in the refrigerator up to 6 days.
